| Microfluidic fluid distribution manifold for use with multi-channel reactor systems -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
  Microfluidic fluid distribution manifold for use with multi-channel reactor systemsUSPTO Application #: 20060006065Title: Microfluidic fluid distribution manifold for use with multi-channel reactor systems Abstract: A microfluidic fluid distribution manifold includes a common port and a plurality of fluidic channels spirally wound around the common port. Each fluidic channel connects the common port to an independent port and provides essentially the same flow resistance to a fluid flowing therethrough. A fixture for the flow restrictor allows fluid flows to be communicated between the flow restrictor and a larger system such as a parallel reactor system. (end of abstract)
Agent: Symyx Technologies Inc Legal Department - Santa Clara, CA, US Inventors: Daniel M. Pinkas, H. Sam Bergh, Shenheng Guan, Nallakkan Arvindan USPTO Applicaton #: 20060006065 - Class: 204451000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Chemistry: Electrical And Wave Energy, Non-distilling Bottoms Treatment, Electrophoresis Or Electro-osmosis Processes And Electrolyte Compositions Therefor When Not Provided For Elsewhere, Capillary Electrophoresis The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060006065. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to microflidic fluid distribution manifolds useful for splitting or combining fluid streams, particularly in applications involving parallel fluid flow systems, such as are commonly employed in the field of combinatorial or high-throughput materials science. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Combinatorial materials science seeks to rapidly screen large numbers of materials for important characteristics in order to discover commercially valuable new materials. A typical combinatorial experiment starts with the creation of a library of materials to be tested followed by an analysis of those materials. The library of materials can include from several materials to thousands of materials, where the materials typically vary by composition, though they can additionally or alternatively vary by other parameters such as grain size, particle size, porosity, phase, isotope ratio, surface treatment, and so forth. The analysis that is applied to the library of materials depends on the property or characteristic of interest. For example, to identify materials in a library that are suitable to be used as catalysts, the members of the library can be analyzed by bringing each member into contact with a reactant or reactants in a suitable reaction chamber and then analyzing the products of the reaction. [0003] Fluid distribution systems for such parallel systems are known in the art. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,882 disclosing passive fluid distribution systems generally comprising flow restrictors such as capillaries, orifices and micromachined channels. See also U.S. Pat. No. 6,737,026 disclosing microfluidic fluid distribution systems comprising binary-tree and three-dimensional distribution systems. See also U.S. Publication No. 2002-0048536 disclosing various schema involving microfluidic fluid distribution manifolds for selectively controlling fluid feed flowrates, feed compositions, and feed pressures. Others have disclosed microfluidic fluid distriubution systems involving fluidic channels have irregularly-varied geometries. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] The invention includes devices, systems and methods comprising microfluidic fluid distribution manifolds for use as microfluidic flow splitters and/or as microfluidic flow combiners. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0005] FIGS. 1A through 1C depict schematic diagrams (FIGS. 1A and 1B) or photographs (FIG. 1C) of a microfluidic fluid distribution manifold comprising fluidic channels according to an embodiment of the invention. [0006] FIGS. 2A-2G illustrate an exemplary method of fabricating a micromachined flow restrictor according to an embodiment of the invention. [0007] FIG. 3A-3F show views of an exemplary support member for a fluidic chip according to an embodiment of the invention. [0008] FIGS. 4A and 4B show views of an exemplary top member for securing a fluidic chip to a support member according to an embodiment of the invention. [0009] FIG. 5 is a graph of experimental data acquired from four micromachined flow restrictors according to embodiments of the invention. [0010] FIGS. 6A through 6D show various views of parallel reactor systems of the invention, including a first system in a schematic view (FIG. 6A), and an alternative second system in a perspective view (FIG. 6B), exploded perspective view (FIG. 6C) of the feed distribution subsystem therof, and a detailed cross-sectional view (FIG. 6D) of a portion of the feed distribution subsystem thereof. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0011] The invention includes devices, systems and methods comprising microfluidic fluid distribution manifolds for use as microfluidic flow splitters and/or as microfluidic flow combiners. General Overview [0012] The present invention is generally directed, in one aspect to devices comprising microfluidic fluid distribution manifolds for use as microfluidic flow splitters and/or as microfluidic flow combiners. In a first general embodiment [A] of this aspect of the invention, the microfluidic fluid distribution manifolds comprise a plurality of spirally interleaved fluidic channels, typically spirally wound around a common port, having a radius of curvature that increases as with increasing distance from the common port. The first general embodiment [A] of the invention is further characterized by one or more additional significant features, relating for example, to particular geometrical configurations of the interleaved fluidic channels, to particular adaptation of the microfluidic fluid distribution manifold to certain operations and/or certain operating conditions, to particular designs offering simplified operations or improved operational capabilities, and to combinations of the foregoing. Each of such additional features are discussed in greater detail below. In a second general embodiment [B] of this aspect of the invention, the microfluidic fluid distribution manifolds comprise one or more microfluidic filters adapted to filter contaminants such as non-fluidic contaminants from a fluid before the fluid is communicated through the plurality of fluidic channels. The second general embodiment [B] of the invention is further characterized by one or more additional significant features, relating for example, to particular locations at which the microfluidic filter is disposed, to geometrical configurations of the microfluidic filters, to operational aspects of the microfluidic filters, and to combinations of the foregoing. Each of such additional features are discussed in greater detail below. In either the first or second general embodiments [A], [B], of this aspect of the invention, the devices can comprise two or more microfluidic fluid distribution manifolds, configured as separate structures or preferably integrated into a common structure. [0013] The present invention is directed, in another aspect, to devices and systems comprising a fixture, for providing a fluidic interface between a microfluidic fluid distribution manifold and macrofluidic fluid distribution components. In a preferred embodiment [C] of this aspect of the invention, the fixture comprises a support member having a first surface for releasably interfacing with a microfluidic fluid distribution manifold, such as the microfluidic fluid distribution manifold of the invention as described in connection with embodiments [A] and [B], and further together with more particular characterizing features thereof. In this embodiment [C], the fixture also includes one or more common fittings and at least a plurality of independent fittings, in each case disposed through the support member. The common fitting has one or more openings adapted for fluid communication with the common ports of the microfluidic fluid distribution manifold, and is further adapted for sealingly engaging a macrofluidic supply or discharge, such as a conduit. Each of the plurality of independent fittings has an independent opening adapted for fluid communication with the independent ports of the microfluidic fluid distribution manifold, and is further adapted for sealingly engaging a macrofluidic discharge or supply, such as a conduit. Additional features of this embodiment [C] are discussed in greater detail below, including for example, a particularly preferred embodiment [C1] comprising an assembly or system including the aforementioned fixture in combination with the aforementioned microfulidic fluid distribution manifolds [e.g., as embodied in [A] and/or [B] or more particularly characterized embodiments thereof]. In this aspect of the invention, the devices can comprise fixtures (alone or with manifolds) configured for releasably engaging two or more microfluidic fluid distribution manifolds, configured as separate structures or preferably integrated into a common structure. [0014] The invention is directed, in a further aspect, to a system for use in evaluating, preferably simultaneously evaluating, a plurality of catalysts (preferably four or more catalysts). In a preferred embodiment [D], such catalyst evaluation system generally comprises at least one fluid source (e.g., for feeding gaseous or liquid reactants), a plurality of flow reactors (e.g., microreactors), at least one effluent sink (e.g., for receiving gaseous or liquid reaction products and/or unreacted reactants), and a microfluidic fluid distribution manifold providing fluid communication between the at least one fluid source and the reactors and/or between the reactors and the at least one effluent sink. The microfluidic fluid distribution manifold of this embodiment [D] can be as described in connection with embodiments [A] and [B], and further together with more particular characterizing features thereof. The microfluidic fluid distribution manifold can be releasably secured in a fixture, such as described in connection with embodiments [C], and further together with more particular characterizing features thereof. This embodiment [D] can further comprise one or more analytical measurement systems for evaluating reaction products and/or unreacted reactants in the reaction cavity and/or in a reactor effluent stream or sample thereof. [0015] The invention is directed as well, in additional aspects, to various methods, including methods for splitting a fluid stream, and/or methods for combining a fluid stream. In a first general embodiment [A] of this aspect of the invention, the methods involve feeding fluids and/or discharging fluids using microfluidic fluid distribution manifolds comprising a plurality of spirally interleaved fluidic channels, typically spirally wound around a common port, having a radius of curvature that increases as with increasing distance from the common port. The first general embodiment [A] of the invention is further characterized by one or more additional features relating for example, to particular geometrical configurations of the interleaved fluidic channels, to particular adaptation of the microfluidic fluid distribution manifold to certain operations and/or certain operating conditions, to particular designs offering simplified operations or improved operational capabilities, and to combinations of the foregoing. Each of such additional features are discussed in greater detail below. In a second general embodiment [B] of this aspect of the invention, the methods involve feeding fluids and/or discharging fluids using microfluidic fluid distribution manifolds comprising one or more microfluidic filters adapted to filter contaminants such as non-fluidic contaminants from a fluid before the fluid is communicated through the plurality of fluidic channels. The second general embodiment [B] of the invention is further characterized by one or more additional features relating for example, to particular locations at which the microfluidic filter is disposed, to geometrical configurations of the microfluidic filters, to operational aspects of the microfluidic filters, and to combinations of the foregoing. Each of such additional features is discussed in greater detail below. [0016] The methods of the invention can also include applied methods, in which fluid streams are split and/or fluid streams are combined using devices comprising microfluidic fluid distribution manifolds, such as described in the aforementioned various embodiments (e.g., [A], [B], [C], [E]). For example, in one embodiment [F], such flow-splitting and/or flow-combining methods can be applied to methods for evaluating a plurality of catalysts, preferably simultaneously using a parallel reactor system. In another embodiment [G], flow-splitting methods can be applied to methods for forming a plurality of two-phase fluids, such as liquid-liquid fluids (e.g., a dispersed liquid phase in a continuous liquid phase media, such as liquid-liquid emulsions), gas-liquid fluids (e.g., bubbling a dispersed gas phase through a continuous liquid phase media), and liquid-gas fluids (e.g., atomizing a dispersed liquid through a continous gas phase media). In this embodiment, for example, a first fluid of a first phase can be split using a first microfluidic fluid distribution manifold, a second fluid of a second phase can be split using a second microfluidic fluid distribution manifold, and the resulting independent first-phase fluid streams and the resulting independent second-phase fluid streams can be combined to form the plurality of two-phase fluids. [0017] Various general features of the invention, as well as various particular characterizing features of the inventions [e.g., A1-A5] are described hereinafter. Although described in individual separate paragraphs for practicality and convenience, such general features and/or various particular characterizing features can be applied and considered in connection with each of the aforementioned aspects of the invention and with each of the aforementioned embodiments of the invention, alone and in each and every possible permutation and combination, without limitation. As such, the inventions can be defined, in each of the aforementioned aspects, as including all possible permutations and combinations of such general features and/or such particular characterizing features. Microfluidic Fluid Distribution Manifold Continue reading... Full patent description for Microfluidic fluid distribution manifold for use with multi-channel reactor systems Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Microfluidic fluid distribution manifold for use with multi-channel reactor systems patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Microfluidic fluid distribution manifold for use with multi-channel reactor systems or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Electrophoresis apparatus, and method of analysis Next Patent Application: Optical lens system and method for microfluidic devices Industry Class: Chemistry: electrical and wave energy ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Microfluidic fluid distribution manifold for use with multi-channel reactor systems patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 2.33388 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Electronics: Semiconductor , Audio , Illumination , Connectors , Crypto , |
||
